Foggy rooms. Scary sounds and monsters ready to pounce. Visit an area haunted house and you might get what you pay for: a terrifying experience.
“They are trying to make it as vivid and frightening as they can,” says clinical psychologist Richard Arend with Children’s Memorial Hospital in Chicago.
But vivid and frightening aren’t necessarily fun for all children. So how can parents tell whether a haunted house is appropriate for their child?
It’s a matter of judging the fright factor of the haunted house–check with the organizers–then gauging whether their child can handle it.
For instance, preschoolers simply aren’t able to tell that a zombie mask isn’t real. “Their imagination far exceeds their ability to judge what is real and what is not real,” Arend says.
Kids who are afraid of scary movies and books probably aren’t ready for a haunted house. Parents should also be sensitive to whether their child seems nervous outside the haunted house, says Arend, adding, “Their anxiety is telling you they just aren’t ready.”
At Dream Reapers in Melrose Park, Ken Spriggs says he sees parents dragging children as young as 5 or 6 through the haunted house, which is aimed at thrill-seekers age 14 and older. “You can tell at the end that the kid has been crying,” says Spriggs, who is vice president of operations.
As kids age, they begin to separate fantasy from reality. The process is different for each child. “Certainly, there are some kids younger than 10 who are all gangbusters and thrill seekers. For them, it’s not a big deal,” he says. But for many others, it can be.
Dream Reapers is a dark facility, with costumed actors who interact with visitors. The creators also work to make it very scary by including realistic smells, says Spriggs, adding, “Our cemetery smells like freshly dug grave.”
Scary stuff. But not all houses are created to be terrifying.
Some haunted houses tailor events or exhibits to children. Realm of Terror in Round Lake recommends its tour for kids 12 and older. But it has special sessions for younger children on select afternoons. That’s when the lights are on and costumed actors are introduced to the children “so they can understand it’s a real person,” says co-owner Tom Kristof.
So, how should parents prepare a child for a haunted house? Arend recommends taking a child who might be frightened to a costume store or prop shop and allowing him to touch and explore the items.
“Let him put on a mask and scare you, the parent,” Arend says. That will make him feel control in a situation where he felt victimized.
But, parents need to take control–and responsibility–if a child becomes upset in a haunted house. Arend recommends leaving immediately then talking about the experience.
“Rather than shame the child, I would say, `Mommy or Daddy made a bad choice and that was too scary for us’ so he isn’t ashamed or humiliated for being afraid,” Arend says. And assure the child that they are safe.
So pay attention to the facility’s age recommendations and be sensitive to your child’s nervousness, Arend says.
And beware: The popularity of Halloween with adults means many haunted houses are gearing their scares for an older audience.
“Halloween has become such an adult-focused holiday instead of a kid-focused holiday,” Arend says.
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Kid-friendly haunted houses
Here are some haunted houses aimed at amusing young visitors:
Ghostly Gardens at Navy Pier (600 E. Grand Ave.): Kids 8 and younger can ride the Eerie Express Train and meet real Halloween creatures such as snakes and spiders. 11 a.m-7 p.m. Oct. 6-9; 13-15; and 20-31; $8; NavyPier.com or 312-595-PIER.
No-Scare Halloween Maze & Fest (Athletic Field Park, 3546 W. Addison St.): The maze lights are on and costumed characters give kids treats. For kids 8 and younger, costumes are highly recommended. 6-9 p.m. Oct. 27 and Oct. 28; noon-2 p.m. Oct. 29; $2; ChicagoParkDistrict.com or 773-478-2889.
Kid Friendly Day at the Haunted Sanitarium (2401 N. Lake Shore Drive): The lights are on and kids can tour 15 theme rooms. Kids receive a goodie bag, free face painting and other activities. Noon-4 p.m. Oct. 28; $3; ChicagoParkDistrict.com or 312-742-PLAY.
Haunted Forest Walk (Boundary Hill Park, Woodridge): Kids 9 and under can walk through a special kids version of the Haunted Forest Walk. 1-3 p.m. Oct. 28; $5; WoodridgeParks.org or 630-353-3400.
Realm of Terror (421 W. Rollins Rd., Round Lake Beach): The lights are on and the monsters are in meet-and-greet mode. Kids are given a guided, scare-free tour. Noon-6 p.m. every Saturday until Halloween; $6 includes miniature golf. RealmofTerror.com or 847-546-2512.
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